What are the Ten Famous Dishes of Jinzhou?

This classic Jinzhou dish uses kidney beans, pork ribs and potatoes stewed slowly in an iron wok until the meat falls off the bones completely, with all seasonings fully absorbed into the vegetables. The flatbread is a thin spring pancake. Most restaurants steam the pancake directly on top of the stew. Some restaurants such as Rongpeng Restaurant serve the stew and pancake separately on plates.

First, partially cook chicken, pork knuckle and streaky pork in a large pot. Make plenty of broth, which will serve as the soup base for the hot pot. Slice the cooked pork thinly and tear the chicken into chunks by hand. The sauerkraut must be fermented from Chinese cabbages harvested in autumn. Separate each cabbage leaf, slice them into ultra-thin shreds, blanch the shreds in boiling water and squeeze out all excess water. Pour the broth into the hot pot. Arrange the meat around the edge and put the sauerkraut in the middle. Add chive flower sauce and seasonings. Once the soup simmers, add dried seafood such as scallops. The flavour is absolutely amazing.

This local delicacy of Jinzhou was first created in 1945. It was named after Bai Rongshu, who developed the cooking method. The dumplings feature golden bottoms shaped like tiger hooves. They taste rich, crisp, juicy and aromatic without being greasy.

This roasted dish was rated a famous barbecue specialty by the Municipal Commerce Bureau. Select high-quality lamb trotters, boil them thoroughly, then marinate them with spices for 20 minutes. Roast them in an oven while brushing on homemade sauce. The finished trotters look attractive and taste tender and delicious.

Grilled soft tofu turns golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a lingering wonderful flavour. It is highly nutritious and suitable for people of all ages. It nourishes the skin, stimulates appetite and promotes digestion.

Heishan Peanut is a specialty of Heishan County, Liaoning Province and a national Geographical Indication product of China. It is famous across domestic and international peanut markets for its excellent quality, round kernels, high protein content, and especially the complete absence of aflatoxin. European professional peanut magazines have published special articles praising this feature. Heishan Peanuts are always in short supply in Japan and European markets. Peanuts under the brand "Green Fangshan" have been exported to Japan and the European Union for 20 consecutive years with zero aflatoxin violations.

Heishan Peanuts have plump round kernels rich in fat and protein with high nutritional value. Tests show the fat content is 44%–45%, protein 24%–36%, and sugar around 20%. They contain thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and plenty of minerals, including essential amino acids that boost brain cell development and improve memory.

Heishan County has unique geographical conditions. Most land is fertile sandy loam. The hilly northwest area has well-drained mountain sand soil with good air permeability, perfect for growing high-quality peanuts. The region has 3,200 hours of sunshine annually, an average temperature of 8°C, annual rainfall of 561.8 mm, and a 161-day frost-free period. The dry crisp autumn weather is ideal for peanut storage. Peanuts are only shelled when the moisture content drops below 9% to prevent aflatoxin growth. Local farmers have followed eco-friendly farming traditions for many years: they use natural water and farm manure, with little or no chemical fertilizer, which reduces soil pollution and pest infestation.

The protected zone covers the entire administrative region of Heishan County, as specified in Document Heizheng〔2007〕No.29 issued by the county government. Heishan Peanut is officially protected as a geographical indication product.

This local Jinzhou snack originated in 1945 and was developed by Bai Rongshu, hence the name Bai’s Pan-Fried Dumplings. The dumplings have golden tiger-hoof-shaped bottoms. They are crisp, juicy and savoury, fragrant but not greasy.

Similar to soup-filled buns, they have four distinctive features: thin wrappers, runny fillings, evenly arranged folds on white dough, and rich soup without greasiness. They are widely popular throughout Northeast China, and Goubangzi Juicy Soup Dumplings from Jinzhou are the most famous. Up to now, they remain a premium traditional snack favoured by travellers nationwide.

First beat the eggs. Heat a flat pan with a small amount of oil, pour in the egg liquid and spread it quickly into a thin egg pancake, then set it aside. Prepare meat filling according to taste. Fresh pork mixed with chopped green onion, ginger, garlic and seasonings is the most common choice. Lay out the egg pancake, line one edge with a neat row of meat filling and roll it up moderately tightly. Brush the edge with starch water to seal the roll. Cut the roll into 3-centimetre sections, seal both ends with starch paste, then deep-fry until golden. The finished rolls are crispy and tasty.

This time-honoured local snack is little known outside the ancient city but extremely popular among locals. Once you taste its piping hot aromatic flavour, you will become completely addicted.

Before dawn, vendors push their food carts to the street near the temple, always surrounded by crowds. Especially in the freezing winter, a bowl of thick tea porridge warms you to the core. The porridge is thick but not stodgy, smooth and mellow like sweet spring water. It instantly chases away the cold.

Zhao’s Tea Porridge is recognised as the authentic original recipe, passed down for generations. Loyal customers get up early to queue under the Drum Tower just for one or two bowls at only one yuan each. The vendor sells four to five hundred bowls within just two or three hours every morning. Now stalls run by the Zhang, Li, Zhu and other families have opened in major markets. Elderly residents of Beizhen are especially fond of this porridge. An 80-year-old local has drunk it for more than fifty years and credits it with keeping him strong and healthy. Vendors never reveal their secret recipe for fear of competitors copying it.

Many regular drinkers become so addicted that they walk 15 minutes early every morning for a bowl and often have to wait in line. Tea porridge has a history of hundreds of years. In ancient times, people drank it without spoons or seats. They twisted the bowl and sipped directly until the bowl was spotless. Topped with two spoons of fried dough crumbs, it has an unforgettable unique flavour, which explains its enduring popularity.

More and more locals drink the porridge for three reasons: to invigorate the spleen and stomach, satisfy cravings, and fill their stomachs after morning exercise. However, Beizhen Tea Porridge remains a local secret. It only attracted attention from outside merchants during the Yiyuan Mountain Pear Blossom Festival last year. A local who works in big cities always makes sure to have a bowl when returning home. He often says: "If Beizhen Tea Porridge were promoted in metropolises, it would win huge popularity and bring enormous profits."

We sincerely hope that this traditional delicacy can share the fame of Yiyuan Mountain and win praise all over the world.